This invention relates generally to plastic clips and clamps and, more generally, to a unitary structure for securing an elongate tubular element, such as a brakeline, to a supporting structure, such as a vehicular axle.
Plastic clips and clamps of various types have been developed to simplify and speed manufacturing operations. Appropriately designed clips and clamps can often be used in place of traditional brackets, nuts, bolts and washers. Frequently, it is easier and faster to use an appropriately designed plastic clip or clamp to secure one item to another than it is to use a bracket, nut and bolt. It is often more economical as well, particularly in high volume situations where the cost of initial design and tooling is amortized over a large number of pieces.
Plastic clips and clamps are particularly well suited for use in automotive and truck applications wherein they are used to secure wires, hoses and other elements to each other and to a vehicle frame. The advantages of using plastic clips and clamps in such applications include speed of assembly, low cost, low weight, vibration damping and freedom from rusting and corrosion.
Plastic clips and clamps are especially well suited for mounting a brakeline to the axle of a truck, car or other vehicle. Clips and clamps used in such an application must meet rigorous requirements. Obviously, it is important that the clip or clamp mount the brakeline securely enough to withstand the shocks and vibration of vehicular applications. Similarly, brakelines and axles are often part of the exposed underside of a vehicle and are constantly bombarded with rocks, gravel, water, salt, slush, petroleum products etc. Accordingly, the clips and clamps must be able to withstand such a harsh environment for a long time, and in most cases, substantially the entire life of the vehicle.
In addition to performance requirements, clips and clamps used to secure brakelines to axles should preferably address manufacturing concerns as well. The clips and clamps should be capable of economical manufacture and should facilitate assembly of the vehicle on which they are used. All of these considerations should be taken into account in designing a plastic clip or clamp for securing a brakeline, or other such element, to a vehicle axle or other such structure.
One known type of clamp that is particularly well-suited for use in clamping around a cylindrical structure, such as an axle, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,784, commonly owned by the assignee hereof. In this clamp, a pair of interlocking jaws are provided at the ends of an open-ended loop. After the loop is placed around a structure, the interlocking jaws are squeezed together to tighten the loop. A plurality of interlocking teeth prevent withdrawing movement of the jaws, and appropriately positioned tabs or fins along the sides of the jaws prevent lateral displacement of the jaws. Although effective as a clamp for securing wires, cables or conduits into a bundle, the conduit clamp made no provision for securing or mounting a first elongate member, such as a brakeline, alongside of another structure, such as an axle.